Flow roller



Jan. 14, 1964 w. P. WAHL ETAL FLOW ROLLER Filed May 25, 1962 J -UIII United States Patent @thee 3,ll?,d2

Patented dan. lll, lgd

3,117,662 FLOW ROLLER Warren P. Wahl and lohn F. vi/ahi, Sterling, l., assigner.; to Mallard Plastics lne., Sterling, lll., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 25, 1962, Ser. No. 197,63() 7 Claims. iCl. 193-37) This invention relates to a flow roller for use in convevmg systems, particularly conveying systems of the gravity type. Such systems often are called flow conveyors.

At the present time ilow conveyors are used extensively for the storage of inventory, particularly inventory which is packaged in boxes. Existing inventory is available conveniently at the front of the conveyor, and new inventory is loaded onto the conveyor at the rear. Thus, the inventory is used on a rst in, rst out basis, as is desirable.

Flow conveyors for inventory provide great savings in storage space. The conveyors may be stacked to any convenient height with minimum vertical spacing, and arranged side-by-side with no appreciable waste space in between. Walk around space is reduced to a minimum, it being necessary only to provide removal space at the front of the conveyors and loading space at the rear.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved ilow roller for use in ilow conveyors of the general type mentioned above.

Another object is to provide a ilow roller of a thinwall unitary construction which is capable of fabrication by a molding process or by die casting. The flow roller is preferably a plastic molded or a die cast part, and the thin-wall construction used requires a minimum amount oi material, thereby contributing greatly to manufacturing economy.

Another object is to provide a ilow roller of thin plastic material wherein the construction is such that there is adequate strength to resist the stresses imposed by loading. The structure and size of the roller are such that, despite the thin walls, the roller will not distort in use, either temporarill or permanently.

Still another object is to provide a flow roller of thin plastic material wherein the portion adapted to be contacted by conveyed articles has large area, thus to distribute the load and avoid distortion both in the roller and in the article conveyed, usually a paperboard box. This portion has large diameter for easy movement of conveyed articles onto the roller and also large width so as to be able to support articles having slight variation in width. Also, the roller portion adapted to cngage and rotate on an axle has relatively small diameter, thus to provide a low-friction relationship between roller and axle.

Another object is to provide a flow roller formed of thin plastic material wherein the thickness of the plastic material is substantially uniform throughout, thereby minimizing distortions inherent in the molding process and the plastic material use Another object is to provide a large ilow roller which is also light in weight so as to add minimum loading to the supporting structure.

Still another object is to provide a ilow roller of thin plastic material which includes an integral ange at one end of the roller. The flange is eilective both to reinforce the roller and to provide lateral guidance for articles conveyed on the roller.

Other objects, advantages and details of the invention will be apparent as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein one form of the invention is shown. At is to be understood that the description and drawing are illustrative only,

and that the scope of the invention is to be measured by the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational View of the outer end of a flow roller embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional View on irregular line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevational View of the inner end of the ilow roller.

Referring to the drawing, the illustrated llow roller is designated 5. Flow roller 5 preferably is of unitary construction, and formed of thin plastic material, for example molded nylon. It will be noted that all walls in the roller have generally the same thickness, a feature which minimizes distortions usually inherent in the plastic molding process.

For ease of description, the end of roller 5 shown in FIG. l will be referred to as outer or flanged end o and the end shown in FIG. 3 will be referred to as inner end 7. Outer end 6 and inner end 7 are respectively shown at the left and right in FIG. 2. As will be understood, outer end 6 is positioned adjacent the lateral edge of the conveyor in which the roller is used.

Roller 5 includes a central tubular portion lil adapted to receive an axle and freely rotate thereon. Many plastics, such as nylon, have a self-lubricating characteristic which provides a low-friction relationship between portion lil and an axle. Tubular portion lll has a imit'orm inner diameter and, for ease in molding, may have a nonuniform outer diameter, the outer diameter decreasing slivhtly from inner end 7 of the roller to outer end 6.

A transverse disk portion l2, concentric with tubular portion lll, extends exteriorly from the tubular portion near the inner end of the tubular portion. As shown, disk portion l2 is integral with tubular portion itl. This disk portion provides reinforcement in the region of maximum loading.

A generally cylindrical portion l5, concentric with tubular portion lil, is somewhat less than axially coextensive with tubular portion 1li. As shown, the inner end region lr6 of cylindrical portion l5 is integral with the periphery of disk portion 12. For ease of molding, cylindrical portion l5 may have a slight taper. Thus the diameter thereof at inner end 7 of the roller may be slightly less than the diameter at the outer end.

A plurality of angularly spaced radial web portions 20 extend between tubular portion l0 and cylindrical portion l5. The web portions 2@ preferably extend axially from disk portion l2 to a point past the outer end of cylindrical portion 15, ldius supporting and reinforcing cylindrical portion l5 substantially throughout its length. In the form of the invention illustrated, there are eight web portions 20 at 45 degree spacings, as shown in FIG. l. Rollers having only six webs have also been constructed and found to be satisfactory.

An exterior annular llange 25 is located at the outer end or" cylindrical portion 15. As shown, flange 25 is conical in shape and extends axially beyond the outer end of the cylindrical portion and at an angle and of sufficient height to guide the articles being conveyed. lf desired, flange 25 may approach right angular relation with cylindrical portion l5. The web portions 20 should extend atleast partially into this langed area.

It will be noted in FIG. 2 that the respective inner and outer ends of tubular portion lil extend axially slightly beyond the inner end of cylindrical portion l5 and the outer end of annular flange 25. The projecting ends of tubular portion 10 thus serve as low-friction spacers which may engage supporting structure in which the roller is mounted and prevent the inner end of cylindrical portion l5 and the outer end of ange 25 from engaging such structure.

While the precise dimensions of the flow roller may vary, it is desirable in general for cylindrical portion l5 to have comparatively large diameter and tubular portion l@ to have comparatively small diameter. ln the form of the invention shown, the diameter of cylindrical portion l5 Vis greater than four times the inner diameter of tubular portion lo.

The large diameter oi cylindrical portion l5' insures that the roller will be contacted by a conveyed article over a large area, thereby preventin7 temporary or permanent distortions due to loading. The small diameter of tubular portion i@ cooperates to establish a low-friction relationship :ith an axle. The long length of the small diameter tubular portion gives adequate bearing so that ieavy loads will not cause detrimental distortion of the inner wail of the tubular portion against an axle. T .e illustrated roller is a practical embodiment of the invention, and it will be noted that the diameter of cylindrical portion 1S is of the same order as the length of tubular portion iti. In a commercial embodiment these dimensions respectively are 1.545 and l.750. The thickness of the several plastic walls in the commercial roller falls in the G.060"O.G7G" range.

rom the above description it is thought that the construction and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Various changes in detail may be made without departing from the spirit or losing the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A flow roller of unitary construction formed of thin plastic material, said flow roller comprising:

a central tubular portion adapted to receive an axle and freely rotate thereon, said tubular portion having a uniform inner diameter and a non-unii`orm outer diameter, the outer diameter decreasing iroi the inner end of said portion to the outer end;

a transverse disk portion concentric with said tubular portion and extending exteriorly therefrom near the inner end of said tubular portion;

a generally cylindrical portion concentric with said tubular portion, the inner end region of said cylindrical portion integral with the periphery of said disk portion, the diameter of said cylindrical portion increasing slightly from the inner end of said portion to the outer end;

a plurality of angularly spaced radial web portions extending between said tubular portion and said cylindrical portion, said web portions extending axially from said disk portion to the outer end of said cylindrical portion; and

an exterior annular ange on the outer end of said cylindrical portion, the respective ends of said tubular portion extending axially slightly beyond the inner end of said cylindrical portion and the outer end of said annular ilange, the diameter or" said cylindrical portion substantially equal to the length or said tubular portion.

2. A flow roller of a thin-wall, unitary construction, said :flow roller comprising:

.a `central tubular portion adapted to receive an axle and freely rotate thereon;

a transverse disk portion concentric with said tubular portion and extending exteriorly therefrom near the inner end of said tubular portion;

.a generally cylindrical portion concentric with said tubular portion, the inner end region of said cylindrical portion integral with the periphery of said disk portions; A

a plurality of angularly spaced radial web portions extending bet een said tubular portion and said cylinrical portion, said weblportions extending axially from said disk portion tothe outer end of said cylindrical portion; and an exterior annular ange on the outer end of said cylindrical portion, the respective ends of said tubular portion extending axially beyond the inner end of said cylindrical portion and the outer end of said annular ange. 3. The flow roller of claim 2 wherein the diameter of said cylindrical portion is large compared to the inner diameter of said tubular portion whereby the periphery of said cylindrical portion is adapted to be contacted by a conveyed article o-ver a large area and said tubular portion is adapted to have low-friction relation with an axle.

4. The ow roller of claim 2 wherein the diameter of said cylindrical portion is at least four times the inner diameter of said tubular portion whereby the periphery of said cylindrical portion is adapted to be contacted by a conveyed article over a large area and said tubular portion is adapted to have low-friction relation with an axle.

5. A 'flow roller comprising:

la central tubular portion of thin plastic material adapted to receive an axle and freely rotate thereon;

a transverse disk portion concentric with said tubular portion and extending exteriorly therefrom near the inner end or" said tubular portion;

a generally cylindrical portion of thin plastic material concentric with said tubular portion and at one end engaging the periphery of said disk portion;

a plurality of angularly spaced radial web portions extending between said tubular portion and said cylindrical portion; and

an exterior `annular ange on the outer end of said cylindrical portion, the respective ends of said tubular portion extending axially beyond the inner end of said cylindrical portion and the outer end of said annular flange.

6. The ilow roller of claim 5 wherein the diameter of said cylindrical portion is of the same order as the length of said tubular portion and more than four times the inner diameter of said tubular portion.

7. A flow roller of a thin-wall, unitary construction, said ow roller comprising:

a central tubular portion adapted to receive an axle and freely rotate thereon;

a transverse disk portion concentric with said tubular portion and extending exteriorly therefrom near the inner end of said tubular portion;

a generally cylindrical portion concentric with said tubular portion, the inner end region of said cylindrical portion integral with the periphery of said disk portion; Y

a plurality of angularly spaced radial web portions extending between said tubular portion `and said cylindrical portion, said web portions extending axially from said disk portion to the outer end of said cylindrical portion; and

an exterior annular flange on the outer end of said cyinrical portion, said radial web portions being integral with at least a portion of said annular ilange.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENS 1,632,204 Threefoot et al June 14, 1927 2,436,326 Pierce tFeb. 17, 1948 2,572,276 Moe ct. 23, 1951 3037.603 Kornylak June 5, 1962 

1. A FLOW ROLLER OF UNITARY CONSTRUCTION FORMED OF THIN PLASTIC MATERIAL, SAID FLOW ROLLER COMPRISING: A CENTRAL TUBULAR PORTION ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AN AXLE AND FREELY ROTATE THEREON, SAID TUBULAR PORTION HAVING A UNIFORM INNER DIAMETER AND A NN-UNIFORM OUTER DIAMETER, THE OUTER DIAMETER DECREASING FROM THE INNER END OF SAID PORTION TO THE OUTER END; A TRANSVERSE DISK PORTION CONCENTRIC WITH SAID TUBULAR PORTION AND EXTENDING EXTERIORLY THEREFROM NEAR THE INNER END OF SAID TUBULAR PORTION; A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL PORTION CONCENTRIC WITH SAID TUBULAR PORTION, THE INNER END REGION OF SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION, THE INNER END REGION OF SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION INTEGRAL WITH THE PERIPHERY OF SAID DISK PORTION, THE DIAMETER OF SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION INCREASING SLIGHTLY FROM THE INNER END OF SAID PORTION TO THE OUTER END; A PLURALITY OF ANGULARLY SPACED RADIAL WEB PORTIONS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID TUBULAR PORTION AND SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION, SAID WEB PORTIONS EXTENDING AXIALLY FROM SAID DISK PORTION TO THE OUTER END OF SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION; AND AN EXTERIOR ANNULAR FLANGE ON THE OUTER END OF SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION, THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID TUBULAR PORTION EXTENDING AXIALLY SLIGHTLY BEYONG THE INNER END OF SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION AND THE OUTER END OF SAID ANNULAR FLANGE, THE DIAMETER OF SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF SAID TUBULAR PORTION. 